


Fraud and Deception

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-12-31
Updated: 1999-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:06:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Fraud and Deception

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Fraud and Deception by RSS

**Fraud and Deception  
By RSS**   
Edited by Daire 

_Special thanks to Daire for her beta reading efforts._

* * *

Nick Wolfe is working on his "new" twenty-year-old Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Being a perfectionist, it will probably take him a few months, maybe even a couple years, before it looks like it did when it rolled out of the showroom. Responding to a knock on the door, he opens it to find Bert Myers. 

Bert has a smile on his face and Nick knows that means Bert has a job for him. "Hi Nick! I've got a job for you! It's a real easy one." Bert saying a job is easy is meaningless. If the job was to wrestle an alligator Bert might say it was easy. 

Nick gives a monotone "What is it?" 

"This guy is driving in his car. He gets bumped off the road. The car goes off a cliff and takes a 50-meter drop with him still in it. At least that is what he says." 

"He's still alive?" 

"Yea and without a scratch." 

"That's impossible." 

"That's where you come in. The insurance company figures it's a scam. So your job is to get the truth out of him. The guy's a pencil neck computer geek so it should be no problem for you." 

This annoys Nick. He is not a mob enforcer. Nick hides his feelings and says in a matter of fact tone, "This seems like Penny Annie stuff." 

Bert cocks his head to one side and steps closer to Nick. "The company's owner is a friend of mine. He is concerned this might be the part of a new kind of scam. This guy probably isn't the brains behind the operation." Nick knows he has little choice but to do the job since Bert is his only source of income. 

Nick concedes, "OK, I'll check it out, what's the address?" 

Bert smiles and hands him a business card. "Get in touch with this person. Ask about the Harold Parr claim." Nick takes the card and nods his head. Bert says, "See ya later!" then leaves. 

Nick wonders. _How much is Bert not telling me? How much of what he's told me is the truth?_ Bert's espionage experience gives him two principles for doing his job. Only tell people what they need to know. Tell people whatever you need to tell them so they do what you want. Truth doesn't come into the equation. _Then again I didn't tell Bert the truth either. It's possible for someone to take a 160-foot drop in a car and come out without a scratch. It's possible if the person is an Immortal. I'd better ask Amanda about this guy. First I need to find out the details._

* * *

Nick waits in an office building's lobby. Soon a man comes out of the elevator. The man asks, "Nick Wolfe?" 

"Yes." 

The man extends his hand and gives a friendly smile, "I am Edmond Dorance!" Nick shakes Edmond's hand. "Follow me please." Edmond leads Nick to a cubicle where Edmond offers him a seat. Nick sits while Edmond types on his computer. Then he queues a file to his printer. Edmond stands and says, "I printed out Harold Parr's file. The printer is down the hall, I'll be back in a moment." 

Edmond returns with some papers and hands them to Nick. Nick asks, "Do you have any hunches on this case?" 

Edmond gives a smile. It is a smile one gives to keep from laughing in someone's face. Edmond answers, "It's a standard insurance claim. It's for the value of the car, some reasonable medical expenses, and the price of a rental car." 

"What are your impressions of Harold Parr as a customer?" 

Edmond looks at his computer screen and grins. "This is the customer insurance companies love." 

"How do you mean?" 

"Considering his job, he is over insured. He's an easy mark for someone who has something to sell. This company has him for life, property, and automobile insurance. This company has had his business for eleven years. This is his first claim." 

Puzzled, Nick asks, "Then why does the company want to investigate this claim?" 

"I'll give you my hunch." Edmond smiles and lowers his voice. "This company is owned by a self made millionaire. He only allows vice-presidents to access the Internet. We are constantly getting memorandums on what employees can't do. He would spend 100 Francs on security to prevent one Franc worth of theft." 

"So you are saying he just doesn't like to be ripped off?" 

"That's my impression." 

On the drive home Nick considers what Edmond told him. _The owner seems like a person after my own heart. If there were more people like him there wouldn't be a crime problem. Most people overlook so-called minor crimes. They figure some losses to theft are built into the system. They don't want to bother with petty theft because they feel it's not worth the trouble. You have to respect people who refuse to let people take advantage of them._

* * *

Nick knocks on Amanda's door. Hearing a melodious "Come in," Nick goes in. "Oh, Nick you are just in time. I'm trying to decide. Should the table go by the window or beneath the picture?" 

Nick looks at both spaces. "The picture." 

Amanda looks at the picture, then asks, "Nick, could you move the table to the window?" 

Nick smiles inside. _I knew she was going to do this. Women ask men for their opinion only to disregard it. I know that no matter where I set this down she will ask me to move it "Just a little." Here goes._

"Could you move it just a little to the right?" 

Without surprise, Nick smiles and says "Sure." 

After a few adjustments Amanda concludes, "Perfect." 

Nick gets down to business. "Amanda, Bert gave me a case. It sounds like an Immortal." Amanda loses her smile. "Somebody says he was forced off a cliff in his car. The car fell too far for someone to walk away." 

Amanda interjects, "Unless he is an Immortal." 

"Exactly. So I want to know if this is a mortal fraud or an Immortal fraud." 

"You want me to tell you if he is an Immortal?" 

"His name is Harold Parr, do you know him?" 

"No! That was easy!" 

Nick gives a silly grin and says, "I'd like for you to come with me when I see this guy. He might be someone you know who is using the alias Harold Parr." 

Amanda looks away for a second then she looks straight at Nick. "Was anyone hurt in this accident?" 

"No, he was alone." 

"I am not going to help you arrest an Immortal for a simple case of insurance fraud." 

"So what Immortals are above the law?" Nick asks, annoyed. 

Amanda retorts, "As long as no one gets hurt it's none of our business how another Immortal makes a living." 

Nick knows moralizing with Amanda would be useless. Looking away, he decides on a different tactic. "You know it's possible this guy doesn't know about 'The Game.' Accidents like this get in the paper. Another Immortal reads about it...." Nick sees Amanda is thinking. Nick knows that look -- Amanda obviously knows of a similar case. 

Finally, Amanda says, "All right, I'll go with you." Nick has a serious look but he is smiling on the inside. 

_It's easy to get Amanda to do what you want. You just have to know what buttons to push. It seems most of the old immortals know Amanda. If this guy is one of her old friends maybe she can convince him to leave town without picking up his check. My guess is a nickle and dime player like this wouldn't want to cross swords with Amanda._

* * *

As they approach Nick feels another Immortals presence. 

Amanda nods her head. "An Immortal." It is a second floor apartment. The stairwell's walls can use a painting. Nick knocks on the door, a few seconds later a man cracks the door open. The door has a chain lock on it. "Are you Harold Parr?" 

"Yes" 

"I'm Nick Wolfe, and this is Amanda Montrose. We are investigating your accident for the insurance company." 

Harold closes the door then opens it again. "Come in." Nick looks Harold over. 

Harold looks as if he has a headache. He is a small thin-framed man with one of those faces that make him hard to take seriously. The apartment is stark. It has a couch, a television set, and a table with four chairs. It also has a personal computer. The computer is the only item that doesn't look second hand. There is a single painting on the wall, one of those watercolors you can buy in a department store. He probably got that on sale. 

"Sit down, please." Harold shows them to the table. Then a woman comes in from another room. "They are from the insurance company. This is Mr. Wolfe and Ms. Montrose. This is my spouse, Marie Jeanne." Marie Jeanne nods her head, but has a suspicious look on her face. She is a beautiful woman, about average height, a thin but well-defined frame. Dressed decently wearing black loafers, black cigarette pants and a white pull over shirt. She has long black hair. Like Amanda, this is her natural color. She isn't wearing any makeup - doesn't need any. Nick wonders how Harold got so lucky. Nick takes a glance at Amanda then realizes anybody can get lucky once in a thousand years. Harold asks, "What can I do for you?" 

"We have a couple of questions about your case," Nick begins. 

"What are the questions?" 

"Why don't you start by going over the accident." 

Harold nods and starts recalling the events. "I was driving to work...." 

"What time was it?" 

"About five-thirty in the morning." 

"Is this the normal time for you to go to work?" 

Harold smiles. "Yes, I check to make sure the network is up and running before everyone else gets to work." 

"I see, go on." 

Harold continues, "There was this car behind me then suddenly it pulled up beside me and bumped my car." 

"What kind of car was it?" 

"I'm not sure. I didn't get a good look at it. It was bigger than my car. It had four doors." 

"Did you see the license plate?" 

Harold shakes his head. "No, it happened so quickly. After I got hit I tried to regain control of the car. I felt the car go off the cliff. It hit once. Then the air bags went off, it hit again and rolled over. The next thing I remember is hanging upside down in my seat with the seat belt holding me up. I suppose the seatbelt saved my life." 

"Can I see the paperwork you have on the car?" 

"Much of it would be in the car's glove compartment. I can show you what I have here." Harold goes into another room to retrieve the information. 

Marie Jeanne asks in a curt tone, "Is this standard?" 

"For these circumstances, yes." Nick can tell Marie Jeanne doesn't believe him. 

Harold emerges from the other room with a strong box. Setting the box on the table, he opens it and removes some papers. Giving the papers to Nick he says, "I think everything I have is here." 

Nick looks at the paperwork for a few minutes, then asks, "What are the medical claims for?" 

Marie Jeanne explodes, "What kind of a stupid question is that! Someone is in a serious accident, naturally they want to get examined to make sure there is nothing wrong!" A baby cries from the next room. Marie Jeanne pulls the papers from Nick's hands. She continues her tirade, "See you have wakened the baby! Your business here is finished! Anyone else would have claimed all kinds of medical problems! Everything is in the police report and the claim form! If I see you again you will deal with a lawyer!" Marie Jeanne walks into another room yelling "Now get out!" 

Harold walks to the door and opens the door for Nick and Amanda. Marie Jeanne's outburst clearly embarrassed Harold and he doesn't know what to say. Marie Jeanne comes back into the room holding a toddler and gives them a nasty glare. Nick and Amanda leave, Harold closing the door behind them. Nick can hear Marie Jeanne's muffled screams. 

As they walk to the car Nick remarks, "If I didn't know better I'd think Marie Jeanne is an Immortal." 

Amanda gives a slight smile. Her face turns serious, "I hate when this happens." 

"When what happens?" 

"Here we have a guy who has a normal life. He has a wife and an adopted child. Now I have to ruin his life." 

Nick takes a conciliatory tone. "We're just the messenger. Besides insurance fraud isn't exactly what normal people do." 

Amanda gives him a stern look, "What makes you think he is involved in insurance fraud?" 

"He fits the profile. Look at the way he is living. A guy who can use some money figures out a way to beat the system. It all fits." 

Amanda gives Nick one of those looks that can freeze water. "That's why people don't like cops. Here is a guy trying to make a life for himself and his family. Every day he wakes up at 0 dark 30 to get to his job. He barely makes enough to get by and probably too sheepish to ask for a raise. Then something a little odd happens and everyone thinks he is trying to pull a scam. You say you want to look out for citizens, but you think of them all as suspects." 

Nick opens the SUV's door for Amanda. When Nick gets behind the wheel he continues the argument, "I'll tell you something which also fits the profile. He shuts up while his wife gets hostile. Guys don't argue with women when their husbands are around." 

Amanda shakes her head. "That guy practically has door mat written on his chest. He wasn't going to stand up for himself, so she did what she had to do. You want to know something else? She was right. Did he make any previous insurance claims?" 

Nick thinks for a moment. "He could have made claims with other insurance companies." 

Amanda dismisses Nick's statement. "This is the first time he died. This is a matter of life and death. This is now Immortal business." Deciding he should stop arguing, Nick doesn't say anything else. 

_Amanda is probably right. He almost certainly was in an accident. If his wife didn't butt in I would have probably asked a few more questions, given this a sanity check and then told Bert it was just a case of a lucky guy. The one thing that disturbs me is the fact that someone forced him off the road. It is either a case of road rage or someone wants him dead. First thing tomorrow I'll check on his child. He can't be the father, but his wife can be the mother._

Maybe it's just me not wanting to admit I was wrong. If I am, no harm done. If I'm right maybe Amanda and I can prevent harm from being done. Sure, he gets back up, but that car crash had to hurt. Besides, someone else can get killed next time. 

* * *

After doing some checking the next morning, Nick learns the child's birth certificate lists Harold as the father. On the way home he decides to buy some flowers from a street vendor, figuring it would be good for a peace offering to Amanda. 

Nick knocks on Amanda's door. She yells, "Just a minute." Nick waits a few seconds until Amanda opens the door. Looking at the flowers she asks, "For me?" 

Nick sheepishly says, "I was wrong. I'm sorry. I would like to come along when you break the news to Harold." 

"Why?" she asks suspiciously. 

Nick anticipated this question and says in a sincere tone, "I'd also like to apologize to him. I think it is about time for someone to investigate why he was forced off the road." 

Amanda smiles, "OK but let me do the talking. I have been doing this sort of thing for over a thousand years." 

Nick nods approval. "You should know his name appears on his daughter's birth certificate." Amanda cocks her head to one side and raises an eyebrow. 

* * *

Nick and Amanda wait at the receptionist's desk for Harold. Harold comes out of an elevator and gives a reserved "Good afternoon." 

Amanda gives him a serious look asking "Can we go where we can talk alone?" 

"Come with me." They take a quiet elevator ride to the seventh floor. Harold leads them to a conference room and they all have a seat. 

Amanda looks straight into Harold's eyes and says, "Right now you are feeling an odd sensation." Harold doesn't react. "You felt the same sensation yesterday right before I came to the door." Harold still shows no reaction. "It is because we are alike." Harold squints his eyes warily. "It is because we are Immortals." 

"What?" 

"We are Immortals. We don't age and we can't die. That is, unless our heads are cut off." 

Harold gives a smirk, "That will kill just about anyone." 

Amanda warns, "This is serious!" 

"What are you going to tell me next that you are Cleopatra?" Harold remarks sarcastically. 

Amanda gives a smile, "I'm not that old. I am only about 1200." 

Harold's face turns serious. "I have never heard of such unethical and unprofessional behavior. Now listen, Princess Guinevere, I don't know what you and King Arthur are trying to accomplish but I have no doubt you have tried this sort of thing before. This is the information age. Inside 24 hours I can get the names of most of the people who you have pulled this routine on. Somehow I don't think the police will take too kindly to this. 

"From what I understand of the French legal system, you have no doubt broken some laws. I am sure the police can figure out which ones. I don't know what you have on you that's causing my headache but I am sure it is also illegal. Can you give me a good reason why I shouldn't pick up this phone and call the police?" Harold picks up the receiver. 

Amanda begs, "Just give me one minute!" 

"You have 58 seconds!" 

Amanda reaches into her purse. "I hate this part." In one motion she takes out a knife and cuts her hand. She put the knife on the table and shows her cut hand to Harold. "Just watch my hand. Don't ask, just watch my hand." Harold watches her hand heal. 

Harold looks at her with disgust. "A trick knife that has disappearing ink. Your time is up." 

"Try it yourself. It is not a trick." Harold takes the knife. He looks at it as if he expects to find something odd with it, then cuts his hand. He clinches his fist. Then he opens his hand. He shows his hand to Amanda and angrily says, "See!" 

Amanda calmly says, " _You_ see. _Watch_ your hand." He looks at his hand. He sees it heal before his eyes and his face betrays his disbelief. "You felt the pain; you know you had a cut. You know it's gone now. You remember your accident. I think you know you couldn't have walked away from it. You sense us; you also know it is not perfume." Smiling, she adds, "I never buy the cheap stuff." 

Harold collapses into a chair. He looks down for a few seconds then asks, "Is it hereditary? Will my daughter be like me?" 

"No we can't -- we can't pass it on to our children. Your daughter isn't like us." 

"I see." Nick doesn't believe Amanda isn't telling Harold the truth. He thought there would be a "rule" about lying to another Immortal about this. After all, there seemed to be a "rule" about everything else. Harold gives a half smile and says, "So I should keep out of countries that use decapitation as punishment?" 

Amanda looks glad he apparently believes her. She sits in front of him and says, "There will be other Immortals who will try to cut off your head." 

Harold gives a confused look and asks, "Are you saying there is a different group that squawks on a different frequency?" 

Amanda starts to smile then her face turns serious again. She talks slowly, "No, they are just like us. The sensation is the same. You see, when one of us cuts off another Immortal's head we get the other's knowledge and power." 

Harold sits up straight and asks in a monotone voice, "How do you know this?" 

"I've experienced it, many times." 

Harold slowly stands. He alternately looks at Amanda and Nick. Nick figures he must be wondering if he and Amanda came here to kill him. Harold leisurely positions himself so he has a clear run at the door. "How did you find out about this?" 

"My teacher taught me about this and everything else I needed to know to survive." 

"When was this?" 

"The Ninth Century, 850 to be exact. I will teach you everything you will need to know to survive." 

Harold shows Amanda his palm. A few seconds pass then Harold starts speaking again. "In those days people believed in witchcraft, astrology, and a million other ignorant things. In some places people believe if you eat the heart of your enemy you will get their strength and courage. People don't do that in modern cultures." 

Nick can tell this guy is a skeptic. He figures a little logic can bring Harold around. "Look Harold. It doesn't matter what you believe. The fact is there are other Immortals who believe it. They will come after you. They will not come to talk. Let Amanda teach you. If she is right you live. If she is wrong you live." 

Harold puts his head down and says, "Let me think about this for a while." 

Amanda writes on a piece of paper. She hands it to Harold and says, "Don't think about it for too long. You are in serious trouble." 

Harold looks at the paper and puts it in his pocket. "Could the person who drove me off the road have been one of us?" 

"If it was you would be dead." 

Harold smiles. "Somehow that makes sense." 

Nick taps Harold on the shoulder. "We will try to find out who drove you off the road." 

Harold shakes his head and says, "Thanks, I'll walk you guys out." 

"Don't tell anyone about this. No one." Nick cautions him. 

Harold smiles and says, "Don't worry I won't. No one would believe me anyway. I'm still not sure why I believe it myself." 

* * *

When Amanda gets in the car Nick gives her a cold stare. Flippantly, she asks "What did I do?" 

Nick asks coldly, "Why didn't you tell him his wife's kid isn't his?" 

Amanda looks straight at Nick. "That is something that puts men's testosterone into overdrive. I wouldn't want him to do something stupid." 

"Isn't that something he is going to have to know sooner or later?" he retorts. 

Looking straight ahead she says, "In this case later is better." 

Nick angrily pulls out of the parking spot. When he starts driving he says, "I am going to check on his wife." 

"What for?" 

"A guy like that doesn't have any enemies. So far his wife is the only suspect." 

Amanda looks at Nick. "Infidelity doesn't mean murder. If it did we would have long ago gone the way of the dinosaur." 

"He is a man with a cheating wife and a big life insurance account." Amanda throws her head back in disbelief. 

* * *

Nick and Amanda sit in his SUV across the street from Harold's house. Amanda throws her head back and asks, "Now what?" 

"I figure we can talk to some of the neighbors. Everyone has a nosy neighbor." 

"Nick, it is possible she made a single mistake and the affair, if you can call it that, is long over." Amanda changes to a conciliatory tone. "Nick, I exposed a secret and ruined your life. I don't want to make that mistake again." Nick thinks he made a mistake bringing her along. "What's this?" She moves her head slowly. She is obviously following somebody who's walking. Nick turns his head. He sees Marie Jeanne pushing a baby carriage. A man walks next to her. He is tall and well built, with long blonde hair and a handsome face. Nick considers the situation. 

_They would make a lovely family. I can tell his looks impress Amanda. How would Amanda put it? "Eight to Five they go in together." In they go. Now what does Amanda have to say about this?_

Amanda's eyes meet Nick's. Amanda pulls back in her seat and says, "Don't look at me that way. It could be perfectly innocent." 

Nick gives a sarcastic smile and remarks, "In the Ninth Century maybe." 

Amanda puts her hands up; "All right we'll check him out." Nick smiles. 

_I love this. Now she knows what it's like to be a cop. I almost wish we'd have to wait a long time. Harold will come home in about an hour. I will show her chivalry is not dead. I'll take the walk for the coffee._

* * *

Two coffee cups sit on Nick's dashboard. The man emerges from the apartment. Nick says, "I'll follow him on foot." Nick follows him to a nearby coffee shop where the man works. Nick walks back to the car, gets in, and starts the engine. "He works in a coffee shop two blocks away." 

"What's your plan?" 

"We wait until he gets off work then we follow him home. That way we find out who he is." 

Amanda smiles, "That's your plan?" 

Nick gives a perplexed look and says, "Yea." 

Amanda puts her hand on Nick's shoulder and says, "Darling, leave this to a professional." 

Outside the coffee shop Amanda winks at Nick. "Give me a few seconds, then come in. Watch me closely, you might learn something." 

_There are two things Amanda can teach me. She can teach me how to duel and how to steal. I don't think she is going to start a sword fight._

Amanda taps the man on the shoulder. She looks as if she has to go to the bathroom. The man points to the women's room. Amanda walks quickly to the women's room. Amanda steps out a couple of minutes later and walks back to the man, grabs his hand, and kisses him on the cheek. Walking up to Nick she exclaims, "Darling there you are!" Then grabs Nick's arm and leads him outside. 

Nick smiles. "You lifted his wallet." 

Smiling back she says, "I have his name, address, and telephone number." 

"Why did you go back to him?" 

"I knew you would want me to put it back." 

"Amanda you _have_ changed!" 

Amanda cocks her head to one side. "It wasn't worth keeping. I don't think there was enough in there to buy a cup of coffee in that place." 

* * *

Nick looks around as Amanda picks the lock on the man's apartment. His name is Marcel Madon. Amanda opens the door and they step inside. The apartment is dusty and dirty. There is a pile of dishes in the sink, magazines strewn over his coffee table, and the bed was unmade. He apparently threw a newspaper on a nightstand and half of it fell on the floor. Amanda comments, "It's a waste of time planting a bug here." Nick knows she is right. Harold's apartment was Spartan but it was clean. Nick plants a bug under the bed anyway. 

"It can't hurt to have one here anyway. Maybe he talks in his sleep." 

"You want to plant a bug in Harold's place?" 

Nick shakes his head, "Yea." Nick leads Amanda out the door. As they walk down the steps Nick says, "I would want that to happen before another accident happens to Harold." 

"We can do it when she takes her afternoon stroll." 

Nick thinks about it, "Nah, maybe she doesn't stroll every day. We can't do it while Harold is around since he can sense us." Nick thinks for a moment. "I know the best time. Six in the morning." 

Amanda smiles and quips, "That is going to ruin my beauty sleep." 

"Consider it Penance for all those cops you kept up over the years. Harold will be at work. It will be enough time for his wife to get back to sleep." 

"How do you know Marie Jeanne won't be awake?" 

"The light will be on if she is awake." 

"I hope you're right. I would hate to wake up that early for nothing." 

* * *

It is just before six and there are no lights on in Harold's apartment. Amanda and Nick both have on ear and mouth pieces. Amanda smiles and says, "Show time!" Nick stays in his SUV as Amanda walks across the street to the apartment building. A minute later Nick sees Marcel rush into the apartment building. "Amanda stop, you're going to have company!" he warns. 

"I'm already in." A few seconds later Amanda whispers, "I'm under the bed. There's no one on top." Nick thinks _that may change in a minute._ "There is a knock at the door. Marie Jeanne was sleeping in her child's room." 

Nick tells her to switch on the bug and then starts recording. He hears Amanda say, "Testing, one, two, three." Nick plays the tape back. All is well. Nick listens as he records. 

He hears an annoyed Marie Jeanne say, "Marcel, you should not have come here!" 

Marcel replies, "I wanted to tell you he is dead! I killed him slowly - I made sure he suffered! He screamed like a little girl!" _I hate it when my hunches are right,_ Nick thought. 

Marie Jeanne's voice sounds agitated, "You should not have done that!" _Morning after empathy. How many times have I heard that over the years._ Marie Jeanne continues, "Someone could have seen you!" 

"But I wanted to make sure he suffered for what he did to you!" _I suppose Harold isn't Mr. Nice Guy after all._

In a motherly voice, Marie Jeanne says, "That is what I like about you Marcel. You are trusting like a child. He never hit me." 

Marcel sounds confused. "Why did you tell me --" 

"You were hesitant. I told you that so you would do what you had to." Her clinical voice is shocking. 

Marcel sounds agitated, "Why did you have me kill him?" 

Marie Jeanne says in a monotone voice, "You wanted me and your child. You can barely support yourself. He could barely support a family. Look at how we are living. He may have gotten a smart lawyer if I tried to divorce him. A DNA test would have proved he isn't the father. I would be lucky to get the clothes on my back. He was well insured. The three of us can live well. We will have a happy life. We can even have more children. After we get the money we can move away from here and then marry. He had no family or friends. 

"The investigation will be cursory at best. There is nothing to worry about. After we move I will get rid of anything that can be associated with him. It will be as if he never existed. I will see you in a week or so. The police will be finished by then. Remember there are no such things as ghosts. Do not let silly ideas get in the way. Confessing will only get you arrested and ruin your life. Pretend this morning never happened. Do you understand?" 

Marcel answers with a meek "Yes." 

Marie Jeanne concludes with a curt, "Good, now get out of here." _I am not sure what disturbs me more, the murder or Marie Jeanne's lack of emotion about it. She acted as if Marcel stepped on an insect. Worse, she treated the murder as if it was a simple business transaction._

The lights go out in the apartment and a few minutes later Amanda steps out a window and slides down a drain pipe. Amanda steps inside the SUV. Usually cheerful after a successful breaking and entering, Amanda has no emotion this time. She takes a deep breath and says, "We will pick up some of your clothes and a bottle of water. Then we will go to the morgue and get Harold out of there." 

"Thirsty?" 

Amanda turns her head and says, "The water is to pour on Marie Jeanne so she melts." 

* * *

At the morgue Amanda and Nick introduce themselves as Harold's siblings. Amanda has some clothes in a large handbag. When they identify the body they ask to be alone for a few minutes. Nick turns to Amanda, "You step outside." 

"What for?" 

"He's naked." 

Amanda cocks an eyebrow, smiles, and retorts, "It's not as if he has something I haven't seen before." 

Nick says, "Some guys don't mind. I get the feeling he's one of those guys that do. He's had a rough day and it's going to get much worse. You can humiliate him another century." Amanda loses her smile and leaves the room. 

Harold comes back to life, frightened and confused. "Welcome back. I got some clothes for you. Amanda is outside." 

"It's true! Some maniac shot me full of holes!" 

Nick gives a reserved smile. "Yes it is true. Now get dressed we have to sneak out of here." 

* * *

Harold finishes hearing the tape and he's numb. It is a sad site to see a man broken. Nick says, "We will turn this tape over to the cops and they will both have a long stay in prison." 

Harold speaks in a low tone, "You can't do that." 

"What?" Nick asks surprised. 

"Who will take care of my daughter?" Harold asks rhetorically. 

Amanda closes her eyes. "We can't have children." Harold looks straight at Amanda. Amanda shakes her head. "I didn't want to tell you before because I didn't want to break up the perfect family." She anticipates Harold's question. "Yes I am sure." 

Harold puts his head down. "So I'm the odd man out. Without me there is the perfect family." 

Nick stands, "They are murderers!" 

Harold forces a smile. "Don't be so harsh on Marie Jeanne. She is an excellent mother. She is wonderful at running a household, she just makes a lousy wife. At least she was a lousy wife with me. Maybe this guy will have better luck." 

"Maybe he won't," Nick retorts. 

Harold looks at Nick and says, "If you are looking for someone who will worry about him, you will have to look someplace else." Harold forces a smile. "Besides, a good lawyer - and I'm sure she would get one - would blow your case right out of the water." Nick is incredulous. "Maybe you and Amanda are good at voice imitations. You were very aggressive pursuing a simple car accident. A good lawyer could probably make a good case that you committed the murder." 

Amanda smiles, "He has a point Nick." She broadens her smile. "One thing you learn after a thousand years is sometimes you win and sometimes you lose." 

Nick shakes his head. "I don't believe this!" 

"Nick, Amanda, I appreciate all you have tried to do." Then he puts his head in his hands. "I am never going to see my daughter again." He takes his hands from his face. "She will never remember me." He sticks his head up. "It is as if I never existed." Amanda wants to say something but she can't find the right words. 

Harold takes a deep breath. "The preferred method is I play Zorro for keeps." He looks at Amanda. "What is the work around?" 

Amanda gives a puzzled look, "Work around?" 

Harold nods his head, "Work around. There is always more than one way to do something." 

Amanda speaks in a motherly tone, "Not this time. You either fight or you die. Unless you want to live in a monastery." 

Harold raises his hand to stop her. "What did you say about a monastery?" 

Amanda cocks her head. "It is one of our rules. We can't kill on Holy ground." 

"So someone in a monastery can't be attacked?" 

"Exactly." 

Harold smiles and turns to Nick. "Let that be a lesson to you. From impossible to a working plan in less than 30 seconds. That has to be some kind of a record." This surprises Amanda, apparently a man giving up women so easily is a hard concept for her to grasp. 

* * *

**_EPILOGUE_**

Nick and Amanda drive Harold to a monastery. They stop at the front gate. Nick asks, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" 

Harold shakes his head, "Yea, I think I want to get away from women for a while." Amanda gives a slight smile. 

Nick figures it is up to him, "Harold just because you met one bad woman --" 

Harold cuts him off, "She was the best one I ever met." Harold steps out of the SUV. He shakes hands with Nick and Amanda. "I can't thank either of you enough." With that he walks away. 

Amanda shakes her head and remarks, "A man without testosterone, what an ugly sight." 

**_THE END_**

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© 1999   
Please send comments to the author! 

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